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Law Enforcement May Have Thwarted As Many As Three Possible Mass Shootings In The Last Five Days; President Trump Returning From Vacation; Wedding Becomes Scene Of A Terror Attack; Three Of The Top Five Presidential Candidates Are In South Carolina Courting The African-American Vote Which Makes Up 60 Percent Of That Key Primary State's Electorate; Antigovernment Protestors Flooding The Streets Of Hong Kong Prompting Chinese Leaders To Promote Dramatic New Propaganda Video; New Detention Facility Near The U.S. Mexico Border Built. Aired 2-3p ET

Aired August 18, 2019 - 14:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:00:17] FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: Hello, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me this Sunday. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

All right developing right now, CNN is learning that law enforcement may have thwarted as many as three possible mass shootings in the last five days.

In Florida, an arrest caught on camera of a man who sheriff deputy say was fascinated the mass shootings. According to investigators, the man detailed plans to quote, shoot as many people as he could in a large crowd. His ex-girlfriend reportedly hailed as a hero today by police who say she tipped them off.

In Connecticut, the FBI arrested a 22-year-old man after getting a tip that he was a attempting to purchase large capacity rifle magazines from out of state. When agents raided his home, found a stockpile of illegal weapons including rifles, a handgun and titanium body armor.

And in Ohio, the seized an arsenal of weapons from a man they say threaten today attack a Jewish community center. Police say he is a white nationalist who had racist and anti-Semitic posts on his social media.

CNN Polo Sandoval is following all of these developments and has more -- Polo.

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, the list is certainly long and disturbing. The first one here, the Ohio man that investigators have arrested. His name is James Reardon. Police say he made an Instagram post of a video which shows a man shooting a rifle. That on the surface may not necessarily illegal. But one of the things that actually caught the attention of police in New Middletown is that the Jewish community center of Youngstown was tagged in the caption of that post. That caption also implies the gunman who was seen on the video would also be the shooter behind a potential attack at the center. Before charging Reardon with telecommunications harassment, police

recovered several rifles, ammunition, a gas mask, bayonet. All these items right now are being analyzed to see if they were legally purchased, Fred. The FBI has interviewed Reardon but have not pressed any federal charges, at least not at this point. The Youngstown area Jewish federation which actually runs the Jewish community center that was mentioned in the post has said in a statement that they have arranged for additional security at the JCC and also all of their synagogues in the area.

Want to go to Florida now where police body camera video shows the arrest of 25-year-old believed to have threatened to commit a mass shooting. Tristin Wicks of Daytona Beach, Florida, was detained by police. He is suspected of sending text messages. Those messages apparently threatening to open fire on large crowds. One of those messages reading and I quote "a school is a weak target. I would be more likely to open fire on a large crowd of people from over three miles away" and goes on to write, I would want to break a world record for longest confirm kill ever.

According to a release from the county sheriff's office there, Wicks told detectives that he doesn't actually own any firearms, but he is quote "fascinate with mass shootings." And that a alone, Fred, is enough to really beg a closer look particularly when you look at the other cases. We are living in a post Pittsburgh synagogue world. Obviously we most recently saw what happened in Dayton, Ohio and then of course in El Paso. So this is something that investigators certainly moved on as soon as they found out about it.

WHITFIELD: Now tell us more about this Connecticut arrest.

SANDOVAL: Yes, a third case that we are looking into here, Fred. It was a Connecticut man who was arrested on Thursday who also showed interest in carrying out a mass shooting. Police identifying him as 25-year-old Brandon Wagshaw who was arrested on weapons charges in Norwalk Connecticut.

Police say they received a tip that he was buying a rifle, or at least parts online, in an attempt to build his own weapon. Police also discovered that he had posted on Facebook indicated that he planned to carry out possibly a mass shooting. He remains in custody, Fred. But you see at least two similarities in some of these cases here, which is somebody saw something and they said somebody. And it is something that investigators have always pushed on, particularly when somebody shows any early signs that they may carry out something terrible. So that appears to be the case that investigators essentially acted on the early flag that came from those who knew some of these suspects.

WHITFIELD: All right. Polo Sandoval, thank you so much.

Let's bring in Juliette Kayyem, a former assistant secretary at the department of homeland security under President Obama.

Good to see you, Juliette. So you know, what do you attribute to this rise, if you will, in threat arrests in the wake of these two deadly mass shootings? JULIETTE KAYYEM, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: So part of it is just

obviously a copy cat thrill that they look at the notoriety or at least some of them get through a high I have to say on sort of the, these kinds of incidents. So all three have the commonality of having sort of the desire to have the means to kill lots of people very, very quickly.

For two of them, they essentially have like war rooms in their houses. When I look at what these guys were either trying to obtain or had obtained, these are weapons that would have kill lot of people.

The distinction is the Ohio is Reardon, which was clearly aligned with white supremacy and allegiance to Charlottesville, which he had been in and a sense that more akin to El Paso. Someone who is sort of absorbing the community of white supremacy that we see out there. The talk of both sides from the top. This idea that the President is focused on Antifa and not on white supremacy. And we have to thank our lucky stars that the FBI sort of seems to be letting that background noise go away and just focusing on where the threats really are.

[14:0:55] WHITFIELD: Yes. And in this case of the Ohio suspect, he is self-describe as a white nationalist. So these are separate arrests, but these suspects have a few things in common on the surface. They are young men in their 20s. They all appear to be white. What else will pique investigate investigator's interest about whether there is any coordination, any commonalities?

KAYYEM: Yes. I think we have to think about coordination amongst these kinds of mass shootings. Less that they are all sort of talking to each other and more that they are finding a community online. I think it's not surprising that two, if not all three of them, sort of posted their desires online to kill lots of people.

They seek that community. That they seek that tolerance amongst a very violent group of people who have been on websites like 8chan and others that are now at least essentially closed down, but are also getting a certain acceptance in a public space. It is white people like me, you know, and others just, you know, you have to be so forceful in terms of condemning the sort racism, not sort of, the racism and white supremacy, that at least as we know right now, the Ohio suspect, because it is the sort of shaming and isolation that might be able to get fewer people likely to do this.

So look, I'm just quoting the FBI. The FBI is nervous about this threat. They see this community online. So in term of coordination, just think about it. You know, it is not like they are meeting in a forest, but they are meeting in the sort of you know the forest of the internet. The sort hinterland of the internet and feeding off each other.

WHITFIELD: So in case of the Daytona Beach shores, Florida arrest, the 25-year-old suspect, you know, texted a variety of things according to police, including this text, you know, a school is a weak target. I would be more likely to open fire on a large crowd of people from over three miles away. I would want to break a world record for longest confirmed kill ever. So reportedly, you know, police received this information from an ex-girlfriend. So explain, you know, the vigilance in responding to threatening words even though in this case there were no weapons that were seized.

KAYYEM: Right. So, I mean, and part of this is just that. That these men live amongst others. They are likely to talk about these things even if you think a joke. The necessity of actually communicating what you hear to law enforcement is essential. The local law enforcement FBI can't be everywhere. You know we have ways of tracking certain things in particular purchases. More illegal purchases, but that's certainly not going to be enough especially given all the weapons that are on the street.

So, you know, one of the things what I knew when I was at the department of homeland security is people get embarrassed. They are sort of oh, he was just talking, like whatever. And the truth is that you know, you are better safe than sorry in terms of what's going on. Let the judicial system, let the legal system work out whether this guy was actually just sort of talking tough, which may be the case in the Florida case or actually was planning something.

Just one quick thing. This sense of masculinity that you see in all three men, the masculinity being formed by weaponry, is consistent in this sort of, in the environment we are in. And that is something, this toxic masculinity, some of the -- most of these men I tell you have, you know, cases of abuse against girlfriend or wives. It's a real toxicity that just we have to address as part of our domestic terrorism problem.

WHITFIELD: And perhaps that seems profound in the Florida case because of the text with the ex-girlfriend. Almost as though you know it seems when you leave that the litany of tests -- of texts that there's this inference of like you know, this is what you get with this package, you know.

KAYYEM: Exactly. Like that -- yes.

WHITFIELD: And that makes me stronger or something.

KAYYEM: Yes. A, a form of courtship. I read those texts, too. It was sort of trying to impress on the other side of that, is if you reject me, if I can't find, you know, a woman, I'm going to go out here and kill, which is also what he suggests in the text -- yes.

WHITFIELD: All right. Extraordinary.

Juliette Kayyem, thank you so much.

[14:10:02] KAYYEM: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right. Still ahead, President Trump returning from vacation to deal with the China trade war and fears of recession which White House officials insist is not a concern.

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[14:13:54] WHITFIELD: All right. Welcome back.

President Trump wraps up his vacation today at his New Jersey golf resort. And waiting for him back in Washington, looming signs of a recession along with the U.S.-China trade war. The economic anxiety felt from the farm belt the Wall Street was something both of the President's top economic advisers actually addressed head on this morning. Their unified message however China, not the U.S., is feeling the pain.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PETER NAVARRO, WHITE HOUSE TRADE ADVISER: China is bearing the entire burden of the tariffs in terms of concern. Hang on.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST, STATE OF THE UNION: That's not what a lot of experts saying.

NAVARRO: This is what this expert says. What we see here unequivocally is that China is bearing the burden by lowering their prices.

TAPPER: Right.

NAVARRO: They lowered the value of the yuan by 12 percent of the tariffs.

TAPPER: Right.

NAVARRO: And here's the most important part of the paying on them rather than paying on us. We are seeing production, investment, supply chain, sourcing, move --

TAPPER: Peter --

NAVARRO: It's hemorrhaging from China. And the good news it is going into southeast Asia and it is coming here.

LARRY KUDLOW, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL ECONOMIC COUNCIL: Well, I tell you what, I sure don't see a recession. We had some blockbuster retail sales consumer numbers towards the back end of last week. Really blockbuster numbers. And in fact, despite a lot of worries with the volatile stock market, most economists on Wall Street towards the end of the week had been marking up their forecasts for the third and fourth quarter. That echoes our view.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[14:15:24] WHITFIELD: And in a moment, you will hear from some farmers who dispute all of that.

CNN national correspondent Kristen Holmes is following the details for us.

So Kristen, you know, what else did hear from the President's team this morning? KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, the White

House strategy for dealing with the economy was on full display this morning. And it was deny, deny, deny. Deny of course that tariffs are hurting farmers, which we know at CNN is not true. We have talked to hundreds of farmers who say they are struggling and that government aid is just simply not enough. Denies you heard in that interaction there with Peter Navarro and Jake that Americans aren't facing any burden here of this trade war despite the fact that a report came out showing that actually in fact 95 percent of those price changes all are going to be shouldered by U.S. importers.

And on top of that, deny that what we saw last week was an inverted yield curve, excuse me, yield curve recurrence despite what we have heard from economic experts as well as what we saw on Wall Street. Now the message is very clear. When it comes to the economy, there's nothing to see here. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HOGAN GIDLEY, DEPUTY WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: (INAUDIBLE) about half of their goods coming into this country right now. So there are a lot more levers that we can pull. But our economy is soaring. It's the best it's been and the rest of the globe is stagnant or declining. And China falls in that declining category.

They are struggling now in their economy. Every number that came out this past week proved our economy is strong. Their economy is weak. The time to strike is now. And we have to do it now while the iron is hot. We are hot right now. The world knows we are strong. China is suffering. We have got to strike now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Now, it is not a surprise that the White House would take this approach. We know that a bad economy means problems for President Trump for reelection in 2020. It always does with an incumbent President, but particularly with this one who has made the economy a center focus point of his campaign -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Kristen Holmes, thank you.

Again, the President returning back to Washington later today.

All right. So arguably, no other sector of the American economy is feeling the pain of a China trade war more than the American farming industry. It's something that White House trade adviser Peter Navarro was pressed on earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Listen to the President of the Minnesota farmer's union, Gary Wertish, who told CNN that even the President's supporters are being hurt and struggling in this trade war even with the money the administration is giving them to help them through this tough passage. Take a listen. GARY WERTISH, FARMER: Words and twitters and tweets, that doesn't pay

the farmers' bills. That doesn't solve the problem we are dealing with. And you know, like I said earlier, this one is self-inflicted by our preside we definitely agree we are going to have in it, but it doesn't appear a plan b.

TAPPER: These are people on the front lines and they are saying the trade war is directly hurting them and China is not bearing all the burden of this. They are earing the burden of this.

NAVARRO: So there's a couple of things to say here. First of all, this President has the backs of farmers. All the money we are taking and tariffs, a lot of that is going right to the farmers (INAUDIBLE). Make no mistake abt. China is targeting those farmers to buckle our knees.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All Right. Joining me right now to talk about all this, CNN political analyst, Rachel Bade and Nathan Gonzalez, good to see you both.

All right. So Nathan, you first. You know, the President's top trade adviser digging in on the message that you know the pain felt by these farmers is coming from China, not Washington. So what risk is the administration taking by sticking to this strategy?

NATHAN GONZALEZ, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, I think the first thing when I hear the White House double and triple down, I think we have to remember that the President could change his mind tomorrow on these policies. I don't think he holds these things so closely that he is not going to change his mind if he feels like he is getting enough bad press or bad news or the stock market tumbles, you know, day after day. I think he can just declare victory and turn around and make another policy.

But specifically for these farmers, I think it's important to realize where they stood with the President before. Were they Trump supporters or against him? Because even I could see farmers who are Trump supporters right now, we are seeing the Republicans are sticking with the President and they might have something else to blame. Well, maybe you know if China, maybe we are still getting the better end of the deal. You know, China is making it worse or if Democrats were in charge, they would make it worse. There's all of these excuses that Republicans have used to justify anything that the President does.

WHITFIELD: So listen to, you know, how the farmer that we just heard, Gary Wertish, described the sentiment that his community feels when the President argues that yes, they are winning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[14:20:11] WERTISH: Some of the callous comments come, especially from the President. And you know, that farmers are winning over great patriots. That's very insulting. That comes from somebody that's never faced the challenges of family farmer. I go into the bank and I tell the farmer -- the lender that I can't make my payment because I lost the market. Banker's not going to tell me you don't have to make your payment because you are a patriot.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So Rachel, you know, these farmers and his sentiment, they represent a significant chunk of what has been b the President's support. But is the President now at great risk of losing their votes?

RACHEL BADE, CONGRESSIONAL REPORTER, THE WASHINGTON POST: Yes, he is definitely playing with fire here. I mean, farmers have been a huge part his base for his past election and would be a big part of his base in 2020.

Look, I think the President obviously is projecting confidence now or at least his advisers are on TV, but privately, you know, he has had a little worry. You saw him blink this week when he announced that the U.S. is going to hold off on imposing tariffs on about $100 billion worth of Chinese goods. These were set to go into in effect in September, on September 1st. He said he is going to delay it until December. And a large part of that he said is because quote "just in case it does end up affecting American buyers."

And so I think the President is getting mixed signals from his advisers. You see people like Peter Navarro, his top trade official, going on TV saying, you know, it's only China that is hurting right now. It's not the U.S.

But you know, the President is hearing from other people in his circle who are privately saying hey, this could really upend your reelection strategy. I mean, the economy, you know, farmers put farmers aside for a second, is actually doing very well, you know. There's record low unemployment rate right now. The economy is doing fairy well. This is something he could run on in 2020. But he is trying to obviously secure things he promised in 2016 about renegotiating trade deals, being tough on China, but in doing that, he is potentially harming his own reelection effort in saying he has got a great economy ahead of himself.

WHITFIELD: And Nathan, it seems, you know, Navarro and Kudlow are working really hard to try to, you know, really dictate the narrative especially after that you know up and down week with the Dow and even the President's lingo. But in this case now, with that stage set, you know, how should Democrat candidates either capitalize on this moment or perhaps even try to steal voters away or try to change the narrative coming from Navarro and Kudlow.

GONZALEZ: I think even more than the risk of losing the base, I think this is a lot about voters in the middle, independent or moderate voters, where the economy is keeping the President afloat. They might not like the tweets, they don't like the circus that kind of involve the White House all the time, but the direction of the economy is what's keeping them.

So if they lose confidence in the President's ability to handle this economy, then the President is going to have f a very difficult time winning. And I think that's where the --not sure there's a lot of specific things on the economy the Democrats can do. But they just need to be present themselves as trustworthy to be credible alternatives for the voters who might finally say next fall, you know what, we need a change. I'm not comfortable with the President, who else. And when he turns to those Democratic nominee, do they have the trust they can take the country in the right direction.

WHITFIELD: Rachel, you know, the President is heading back to New Jersey today, you know, to Washington. Oftentimes, he stops, you know, to talk to reporters. Might he do that today and underscore the messages coming from his own economic advisers or might he have, go back to you know, what he sees?

BADE: Yes. I mean, it's pretty clear that today there was a specific strategy that the top trade adviser, top economic advisers were going to go on TV and say look, China is the one hurting, it is not the U.S., but people see through that. They look at their own wallets. And as you saw and heard from that farmer right there, they are feeling it. So it doesn't matter really what Trump and the White House is saying. If people are seeing something different in their bottom line, that's going the influence how they vote.

So again, Trump is playing with fire here. And you know, we will just see -- have to see how to see if he's willing to stick it out and open, you know, the number one he could run on in 2020, a good economy, just for perhaps a victory on trade.

WHITFIELD: All right. Rachel Bade, Nathan Gonzalez, good to see you both. Thank you so much.

GONZALEZ: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Next, a wedding becomes scene of a terror attack. An ISIS suicide bomber infiltrates the ceremony, killing dozens in Afghanistan.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:28:34] WHITFIELD: Welcome back. There has been a devastating attack in Afghanistan. Officials say 63 people are dead and 182 wounded after a suicide bomb was detonated at a crowded wedding. And it was a celebration taking place in the capital of Kabul. Afghan officials say children were among the victims. Video of the aftermath shows a destroyed wedding hall and blood still remaining from the massacre. ISIS is taking responsibility for this bombing saying it was targeting Shia Muslims.

This blast comes just a day after President Trump discussed a U.S. Taliban peace plan with his national security advisors. The plan would include a U.S. Taliban cease fire.

With me now is Aaron David Miller. He a former state department adviser and negotiator in both Republican and democratic administrations.

Good to see you, Aaron.

AARON DAVID MILLER, FORMER STATE DEPARTMENT IN REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC ADMINISTRATIONS: Good to see you, Fred.

WHITFIELD: So how significant is it that this was an ISIS attack, not the Taliban that's claimed responsibility?

MILLER: Very. And I think we have a bad habit of underestimating the Islamic state, whether it's in Syria and Iraq. We Are now in Afghanistan, both under democratic and under this administration as well. I think the Pentagon thought that they had the problem contained in 2017. But the Islamic state or Hasan, its derivative than Afghanistan has shown a remarkable tendency both to derive money from smuggling, timber, heroin, as well as connect with various areas of the country. They don't control a lot of territory. But they have shown a brutal and deadly effectiveness to operate in Kabul, the capital.

[14:30:09] WHITFIELD: It is a statement, isn't it? They are making a significant statement.

MILLER: It is. We are here. And likely, in the event my former colleague (INAUDIBLE) ends up cutting a deal with a Taliban, it may well produce disaffected Taliban members who are not happy with the agreement and could easily gravitate toward ISIS and Afghanistan. They plan radicalize Afghans and in Pakistani Taliban as well. It's a serious problem.

WHITFIELD: So all of this taking place on the heels of the President saying he wants U.S. troops out of Afghanistan and quickly. But listen to U.S. senator Lindsey Graham who is a Trump ally and the member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, but is taking pause here. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: Every national security adviser for President Trump is rem recommending unanimously that if we do a peace agreement with the Taliban, we must maintain the ability to have a counterterrorism force with intel capability as long as conditions on the ground warrant. The idea of leaving it a date certain is a disaster for the United States because ISIS and Al-Qaeda will regenerate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right, so he says it would be a disaster by pulling out. What do you think?

MILLER: I mean, I think you have a very risk averse President who has made a campaign commitment and believes strongly in the fact that America is strapped in a couple unwinnable wars and is going to extricate American forces. I don't think there is any question about that. You are going to see a drawdown.

The question is, as Lindsey Graham suggests and John McCain would have made this same argument sadly if he were here, is that we need to maintain a residual force, a counterterrorism force, maybe several thousand. Now whether or not that's going to be to the President's liking is unclear. There's a big debate in Washington as to how significant the threat is from the Islamic state in Afghanistan to the homeland.

Everyone agrees that it's a serious problem in Afghanistan. The real question and CIA and the intelligence agencies think it's less of a threat. The Pentagon believes being on the ground that it's more of a threat. So I'm betting next year at this time, we are still going to have a substantial number of Americans assisting in doing counterterrorism in Afghanistan. It's a forever war for now, Fred. And it's sad 14 Americans have been killed this year alone. Not a lot, but I have to say, one additional point.

WHITFIELD: One is too many.

MILLER: I was stunned by the fact that in the second CNN debate with the exception of Tulsi Gabbard, not a single Democratic candidate in an opening or closing statement raised the issue of the longest war in American history. The military is at war, but the country isn't. And that poses a serious concern.

WHITFIELD: All right. Aaron David Miller, thank you so much.

Straight ahead, top Democratic Presidential candidates swarm the key state of South Carolina trying to shore up the African-American vote. It's a voting block critical to winning the nomination. Can any of them break through?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:36:55] WHITFIELD: Right now three of the top five presidential candidates are in South Carolina courting the African-American vote which makes up 60 percent of that key primary state's electorate.

Take a look at some live pictures now of a town hall hosted by Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg. Today on CNN's "STATE OF THE UNION," Buttigieg down played concerns that black Christians were hesitant to support him because he is gay.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR PETE BUTTIGIEG (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think most black voters like most voters in general, want to know what the candidates are actually going to do to improve their lives. And when I talk to black voters in particular, there's a sense of having been taken for granted in politics and a sense that candidates haven't always been speaking to them or earning their trust.

So more than anything, I think my job is to make sure that I explain how our vision for increasing the number of black entrepreneurs is going to lead to economic empowerment. How the party of my Douglas plan for tackling institutional racism that works on health will help close the maternal mortality gap. I think a lot of these other factors r tors start to wash away. Once

voters understand what it's going to mean for them that you versus the others are in office. But we have got six months to make sure we get that message out, make sure we demonstrate that I'm serious about the things I would do as President and that's how I plan the earn support among black voters whether it's here in South Carolina r or across the country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Meantime, senator Elizabeth Warren to her message to a predominantly black surge in Columbia, South Carolina.

CNN's Leyla Santiago is there.

So Leyla, what did senator Warren say?

LEYLA SANTIAGO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, Fred, this might surprise you, but not once did she mention a plan. Instead, she talked about something else you actually don't usually hear from her and that's about her faith.

Immediately after that at the church, she then started about her personal stories, sort of introducing herself to the churchgoers. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN (D), MASSACHUSETTS: I grew up in a family that didn't have much. But always grew up with a dream. And for me, the dream was I wanted to be a public schoolteacher. I finished my four year diploma and became a special needs teacher. I have lived my dream job. It's the best.

Never in a million years that I think I would end up running fir office. First for the United States Senate from Massachusetts and now for president of the United States. But the reason I do is I have been called to act. Not just to seek good, but to act.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANTIAGO: And you know, I talked to one churchgoer after service today. And she said she found it very interesting to hear Elizabeth Warren's story because it reminded her of her own story. And for these campaigns and these candidates, that's like gold because that is the goal. They are looking for ways to connect to those voters.

You see Sanders here today in Colombia, not far from where I am right now. And the way he is trying to connect to some of these voters is talking about a new criminal justice reform plan.

Yesterday, I spoke to a young black voter who said that's exactly what he wanted to hear. And then you hear Buttigieg as you just heard, talking about his Douglas plan.

So little insights into how these candidates in campaigns are looking to reach out to the black community here in South Carolina that makes up more than 60 percent of the electorate in the primary, Fred.

[14:40:30] WHITFIELD: All right. Leyla Santiago, thank you so much. Appreciate it in Colombia, South Carolina.

All right. Still ahead, antigovernment protestors flooding the streets of Hong Kong prompting Chinese leaders to promote dramatic new propaganda video.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We never left all those we loved.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: We will take you to Hong Kong after the break.

But first, for thrill seekers and nature lovers, Moab, Utah is an outdoor paradise. It's this weeks Wander Musts.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS WONDERLY. ARCHES NATIONAL PARK: Moab is an excellent recreational mecca. It is a huge attraction for people from all over the world to come out and experience the Colorado plateau. Arches National Park is world famous for its number of arches. We have more than 2,000 known natural stone arches here. Probably the most famous arch that we have in the park is delicate arch. It's almost become a symbol of Utah.

CARL WRIGHT, MOAB ADVENTURE CENTER: After you have gone through the park, great to get out and go on the trails. Hit the mountain booking and go on a hummer tour. Moab call themselves the mountain biking capital of the world. The reason of that is because we have got trails for everybody. We have got everything for (INAUDIBLE) trails that provide a wonderful experience all the way to our h harder trails such as slick rock and the whole enchilada. Our hummer tour is a unique experience. One of the sights that we love to go to is the river overlook. It extends 400 feet above the Colorado river and provides un-rival views.

WENDELL WILLIAMS, SUNSET GRILL: Sunset Grill is the place to see the sun set in Moab. We have a beautiful outdoor patio where you can watch the sun set over the beautiful (INAUDIBLE). Some of the most popular dishes are the artichoke, definitely fillet Minion and flourless chocolate souffle.

Come on out and enjoy the food and enjoy the view.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:46:29] WHITFIELD: In Hong Kong, hundreds of thousands of antigovernment protesters braved torrential rain and a police ban for another weekend of mass demonstrations. This huge aand largely peaceful protest follows the ugly scenes of violence Tuesday at the airport there.

CNN's Ivan Watson was in the midst of the massive crowd of protestors today and he has more on what's driving these demonstrations.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): By Sunday, the skies opened up over Hong Kong. A tropical downpour that did not stop this sea of humanity. A mass protest against the government's handling of the worst political crisis Hong Kong has seen in decades.

If the authorities were hoping this protest movement would fizzle over time, they were terribly wrong. Even pouring rain hasn't dampened the protesters enthusiasm.

From Hong Kong's Victoria Park, the crowd trudged west. Among them, 30-year-old Desiree Wong, here with her husband, mother and sister. It is pouring rain out here.

DESIREE WONG, RESIDENT: Yes.

WATSON: And there are stale lot of demonstrators.

WONG: Yes. We have determined to let the government hear us. Where they cannot change our mind. Cannot change our demands.

WATSON: Do you think u that the government will listen to you this time?

WONG: I hope so. But to be honest, I do not have a lot of hope.

WATSON: Hong Kong has been locked in a cycle of unrest for more than two months. After two separate million men protest marches last June, the city's appointed government suspended, but refused to completely withdraw a proposed law that would allow the extradition of suspects from this former British colony to mainland China. Since then, the violence has only escalated.

The authorities denounced protestors calling them rioting criminals. While the opposition accuses the police of excess use of force.

On Saturday, supporters of the government staged their own smaller demonstration supporting the police.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In support of police and safety of Hong Kong. (INAUDIBLE).

WATSON: But the government in mainland China has a more ominous message, showing off its security forces on the border with Hong Kong and obvious warning.

But these threats from Beijing haven't quelled Hong Kong's dissent. This 23-year-old volunteer medic says she has attended more than 33 protests in the last two months.

Is there anything that the local government could do to satisfy the people?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I think if they actually responded to those five requests, including you know, withdrawing the extradition bill and setting up an independent inquiry counsel. I think that would calm a lot of things down.

WATSON: But earlier this month, a senior Hong Kong government official told CNN there would be no compromise when it cops to the protestors demands. The test of wills between the government and people in the streets appears far from over.

Ivan Watson, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And still ahead, CNN gets a rare first look inside a new border facility housing adult migrants. We will take you there live, next.

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[14:53:30] WHITFIELD: All right. We are getting our first look inside a new detention facility near the U.S. Mexico border. CNN has been allowed to enter and record video inside the migrant center in Tornio, Texas which was built in just 45 days due to the incredible demand for space as immigrants streamed across the border in recent months.

CNN's Natasha Chen is there.

So Natasha, the homeland security department has been heavily criticized for conditions at so many facilities. How is this one different?

NATASHA CHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is what the acting DHS secretary Kevin McAleenan, calls a soft-sided facility. In other words, a tent. And as you mentioned, built within 45 days. It's on the property just behind us.

Now this is in the same vicinity as the tent city that held thousands of children up until January, but it's not the same building exactly. It is just around the same property.

Now this does called single adults and single females in separate giant tents, 197,000 square feet. Now this was able to be built because of the emergency funding that Congress approved in late June.

McAleenan on the tour Thursday did not take questions. But the purpose of tour was to show the media that migrants do have access to food, water, hygiene products, showers and toilets. This can hold up to 2,000. But when our photojournalist went on the tour Thursday, he saw only about two dozen people.

Now McAleenan said that recently in the past few weeks, the number of arrest on the border for illegal crossings had dropped. And that's resulted in faster processing out of border protection custody into other departments within the government. So he did tweet this morning that conditions in CBP border stations have improved substantially. Thanks to our international partnerships with Mexico and Central America and the emergency funding received from congress.

The numbers in custody have dropped 75 percent since early June. Now McAleenan said that DHS has also asked for even more emergency funding from Congress because if they see another surge like we saw earlier this year, they are definitely going to need the space inside this tent facility. They would prefer to build a longer term facility.

Now I asked the Texas state representative whose district this is in, representative Mary Gonzalez, about this Tornio facility. She says she is concerned because when the tents were up for the thousands of children last year, that was a third party contractor running it. Now this is CBP running it and she says they are stretched thin and she doesn't know how this will be run as a facility for single men and women, Fred.

[14:55:09] WHITFIELD: All right. Natasha Chen, thank you so much.

All right. Next, a Atlanta FBI thwarting at least three potential mass shootings in less than a week. Details on the suspects and the arsenal coming up.

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